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Solid polyelectrolyte fuel cellRelated Patent Categories: Chemistry: Electrical Current Producing Apparatus, Product, And Process, Fuel Cell, Subcombination Thereof Or Methods Of Operating, Catalytic Electrode Structure Or Composition, Having An Inorganic Matrix, Substrate Or SupportSolid polyelectrolyte fuel cell description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060275650, Solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] FIG. 10 shows a schematic diagram of a main part of a conventional solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell. [0005] As shown in FIG. 10, on one side of a solid polyelectrolyte film 111 having proton (H.sup.+) conductivity, a fuel electrode film 112 is attached, which contains catalytic metal such as Pt--Ru and has conductivity and gas permeability. On the other side of the solid polyelectrolyte film 111, an oxide electrode film 113 is attached, which contains catalytic metal such as Pt and has conductivity and gas permeability. [0006] On a side of the fuel electrode film 112 that is an electrode film on one side of a solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate (cell) including the solid polyelectrolyte film 111, the fuel electrode film 112, the oxide electrode film 113 and the like, a first gas diffusion layer 114 having conductivity and gas diffusivity is attached so as to surround and cover the fuel electrode film 112. In other words, the first gas diffusion layer 114, which is larger than the fuel electrode film 112, is attached so as to come into direct contact with the solid polyelectrolyte film 111 as well as the fuel electrode film 112. On a side of the oxide electrode film 113 that is an electrode film on the other side of the cell, a second gas diffusion layer 115 having conductivity and gas diffusivity is attached so as to surround and cover the oxide electrode film 113. In other words, the second gas diffusion layer 115, which is larger than the oxide electrode film 113, is attached so as to come into direct contact with the solid polyelectrolyte film 111 as well as the oxide electrode film 113. [0007] On the one side and the other side of the cell, on which the gas diffusion layers 114 and 115 are attached, respectively, separators 116 having conductivity are provided, respectively. Specifically, in the separator 116 provided on the one side of the cell, a fuel gas passage for hydrogen gas and the like is formed. Moreover, in the separator 116 provided on the other side of the cell, an oxide gas passage for air, oxygen and the like is formed. [0008] A periphery of the solid polyelectrolyte film 111, which is exposed from peripheries of the electrode films 112 and 113 and the gas diffusion layers 114 and 115, is held by the separators 116 with sealants 117 interposed therebetween. [0009] Note that, in FIG. 10, the gas diffusion layers 114 and 115 are closely attached to end faces of the electrode films 112 and 113 without having spaces between the end faces thereof and the layers. However, in reality, the gas diffusion layers 114 and 115 may be attached so as to come into direct contact with the solid polyelectrolyte film 111 while having spaces between the end faces of the electrode films 112 and 113 and the layers. [0010] In the conventional solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell 110 as described above, when fuel gas is supplied to the fuel gas passage of the separator 116 and oxide gas is supplied to the oxide gas passage of the separator 116, the fuel gas is supplied to the fuel electrode film 112 while being diffused in the first gas diffusion layer 114 and the oxide gas is supplied to the oxide electrode film 113 while being diffused in the second gas diffusion layer 115. Accordingly, the fuel gas and the oxide gas electrochemically react with each other. Thus, protons (H.sup.+) generated from hydrogen gas on the fuel electrode film 112 side move toward the oxide electrode film 113 within the solid polyelectrolyte film 111. At the same time, electrons (e.sup.-) generated from the hydrogen gas on the fuel electrode film 112 side flow toward the oxide electrode film 113 through the separator 116 and the second gas diffusion layer 115 from the first gas diffusion layer 114 and the separator 116 via an external electric circuit. Thus, electricity can be generated while generating water by allowing oxygen to react with the protons and the electrons on the oxide electrode film 113 side. [0011] <Related Arts> [0012] A. Japanese Patent No. 3271410 [0013] B. Japanese Patent No. 3345240 [0014] C. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-123777 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0015] Meanwhile, in the conventional solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell as described above, when the fuel gas and the oxide gas are supplied into the cell, in the reactions described above or the like, a side reaction product such as hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2O.sub.2) is generated. Thus, when a radical such as a hydroxy radical (.OH) is generated from the hydrogen peroxide, the radical may deteriorate the solid polyelectrolyte film 111 and cause a gas leak between the fuel electrode film 112 side and the oxide electrode film 113 side. [0016] The inventors of the present invention have studied such deterioration of the solid polyelectrolyte film 111 due to the radical and found out that the deterioration mostly occurs in the periphery of the solid polyelectrolyte film 111. [0017] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to study on a deterioration mechanism of a solid polyelectrolyte film and to provide a solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell capable of suppressing a gas. leak between a fuel electrode film side and an oxide electrode film side by taking measures against deterioration of the solid polyelectrolyte film based on the study and by suppressing deterioration in a periphery of the solid polyelectrolyte film. [0018] A first aspect of the present invention, in order to solve the problems described above, is a solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell including: a solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate in which electrode films are provided on one side and the other side of a solid polyelectrolyte film, respectively; a first gas diffusion layer provided so as to cover the electrode film on one side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate; a second gas diffusion layer provided so as to cover the electrode film on the other side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate; and separators provided on the one side and the other side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate, respectively, with the gas diffusion layers interposed therebetween. The solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell includes a first deterioration inhibitor which is provided between the solid polyelectrolyte film of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate and at least one of the first and second gas diffusion layers so as to prevent direct contact between the solid polyelectrolyte film and at least one of the first and second gas diffusion layers, and inhibits generation of radicals between the solid polyelectrolyte film and at least one of the first and second gas diffusion layers. [0019] A second aspect of the present invention is a solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell including: a solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate in which electrode films are provided on one side and the other side of a solid polyelectrolyte film, respectively; a first gas diffusion layer provided so as to cover the electrode film on one side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate; a second gas diffusion layer provided so as to cover the electrode film on the other side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate; and separators provided on the one side and the other side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate, respectively, with the gas diffusion layers interposed therebetween. In the solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell, at least one of the first and second gas diffusion layers is provided only on the electrode film without coming into contact with the solid polyelectrolyte film of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate. [0020] A third aspect of the present invention is a solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell including: a solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate in which electrode films are provided on one side and the other side of a solid polyelectrolyte film, respectively; a first gas diffusion layer provided so as to cover the electrode film on one side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate; a second gas diffusion layer provided so as to cover the electrode film on the other side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate; and separators provided on the one side and the other side of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate, respectively, with the gas diffusion layers interposed therebetween. In the solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell, a peripheral side of the solid polyelectrolyte film exposed from the electrode films in the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate contains a deterioration inhibitor for suppressing generation of radicals by decomposing hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. [0021] A fourth aspect of the present invention is the solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell according to one of the first and second aspects of the present invention, including a second deterioration inhibitor which is provided in peripheral ends of the solid polyelectrolyte film of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate and at least one of the first and second gas diffusion layers so as to prevent direct contact between the solid polyelectrolyte film and at least one of the first and second gas diffusion layers, and inhibits generation of radicals between the solid polyelectrolyte film and at least one of the first and second gas diffusion layers. [0022] A fifth aspect of the present invention is the solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell according to any of the first to third aspects of the present invention, in which spaces are provided between the solid polyelectrolyte film of the solid polyelectrolyte film electrode conjugate and the separators. Continue reading about Solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell... Full patent description for Solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell patent application. 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